At the beginning of March, I traveled with our Chief Operating Officer Katie Williams to Washington D.C. for the annual National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference hosted by Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and Feeding America. This event was the highlight of my year so far, despite spending a significant amount of time struggling to adapt to the cold... and then being repeatedly told that it was not, in fact, “cold”.

Having attended the same conference la...

This week is National School Breakfast Week. Almost every day we hear about how important the first meal of the day is. Without food in the morning, our children lack the energy they need to concentrate and learn. Schools recognize this by providing breakfast at all public schools in Florida and, in the majority of school districts, breakfast is universal and free to all students. All they have to do is show up to the cafeteria before school starts and a healthy first me...

Hunger doesn’t just harm the physical health of children; it affects nearly every aspect of their lives, from self-worth to academic performance to socialization. 

According to the American Psychological Association, hunger is associated with anxiety and depression in children. In adolescents, hunger is associated with depressive disorders and suicidal tendencies.

The distraction of hunger also makes schoolwork more difficult. Research has shown that hungry children have l...

The hands, hung. The meetings, set. The dining sets, placed. The swag, ordered. The final practice for the performance, finished. Children’s Week had arrived. 

What is Children’s Week? “Florida’s Children’s Week is an annual week-long celebration filled with joyful singing voices of young children, the colorful “Hanging of Hands”, and the dedication of thousands of child advocates across Florida.”

It truly is a special time and a very powerful one. Florida Impact to End Hu...

Studies show pets bring a level of joy and companionship to seniors who live alone. What does this have to do with hunger-related issues the elderly face? Taking care of a pet includes feeding, grooming and veterinary care, which can be financially burdensome and physically challenging to seniors. More often than not, a devoted animal lover with limited access to food will feed their hungry pet before they feed themselves.

One of Florida Impact to End Hunger's community p...